Baby polar bear in Japan becomes internet sensation with his love of traffic cones

A polar bear cub named Momota, living at the Oga Aquarium GAO in Japan's Akita Prefecture, has become a widely known internet phenomenon and a favorite among visitors. The eight-month-old cub stands out for an unusual passion: playing with plastic traffic cones.

Cone obsession goes viral

The cub's popularity took off after videos filmed by eyewitness Maho Inazumi, taken when Momota was just five months old, spread on social media. The footage shows the cub skillfully stacking cones on top of each other, as well as placing them on his own head and walking around his enclosure while delighting onlookers. The playful cub also regularly drags the cones along with him into his den.

The filmer's impressions

The video's author said she was both surprised and delighted to see such a small cub manage to fit as many as four cones on his head at once. She described the scene as extremely cute and funny, saying it fully captured Momota's playful and mischievous personality.